Free Republic

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have withdrawn charges of crimes against humanity against Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta. He had been indicted in connection with post-election ethnic violence in 2007-08, in which 1,200 people died. Mr Kenyatta, who had denied the charges, said he felt "vindicated". The prosecutor's office said the Kenyan government had refused to hand over evidence vital to the case. The prosecution repeatedly asked for more time to build its case, saying witnesses had been bribed and intimidated, and the Kenyan government had refused to hand over documents vital to the case. Mr...

Kenya's president rejected on Saturday plans by members of parliament to triple their end-of-term bonuses and award themselves diplomatic passports, bodyguards for life and state funerals. In their last act before parliament closed for March 4 elections, Kenyan lawmakers, already among the best paid in the world, tried for a second time in a few months to increase their end-term bonus to 9.3 million shillings ($107,200) each. President Mwai Kibaki struck down their first attempt last October and, amid public outrage at what one newspaper called the lawmakers' "eccentric greed", he again declined to sign the bill, saying it was...

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Kenya will pave the way for increased cooperation between the two countries, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Sheikholeslam said on Friday in Nairobi. In a meeting with Kenyan Vice President Stephene Kalonzo Musyoka, he stated that there has been substantial improvement in Tehran-Nairobi relations. Iranian companies are currently implementing road and power plant projects in Kenya and are interested in expanding their activities in the East African nation, Sheikholeslam said. He also expressed appreciation for the Kenyan president's invitation to Ahmadinejad. The Kenyan vice president stated that Nairobi is committed to supporting the Islamic Republic...

THE United States yesterday announced it was suspending its funding of Kenya’s anti- corruption measures, amid a mounting sleaze crisis in the country.The British government said it was also reviewing contributions, following the resignation of Kenya’s leading anti-corruption official. The announcement is the latest setback for the government of Mwai Kibaki as he attempts to roll back 24 years of rampant sleaze under the former regime of Daniel Arap Moi. His most senior corruption fighter, John Githongo, resigned on Monday amid mounting international criticism that Kenya was dragging its feet on reform. Yesterday, William Bellamy, the US ambassador to Kenya,...